Diner Conversations
by Otaku Maiden
Summary: Written for the Diner Gauntlet Challenge. After the run-in with Cash and J.T. at Mr. Smoothy, Ben, Gwen and Kevin have an interesting conversation at a diner.


_**TITLE:**_ _Diner Conversations_

_**AUTHOR: **__Otaku Maiden_

_**SUMMARY:**__ Written for the Diner Gauntlet Challenge. After the run-in with Cash and J.T. at Mr. Smoothy, Ben, Gwen and Kevin have an _interesting_ conversation at a diner. _

_**RATING:**__ Teen._

_**DISCLAIMER:**__ I do not own Ben 10, Ben 10: Alien Force or its affiliating characters. I'm just using them for my twisted amusement. I have incorporated a lot of the original dialogue from The Gauntlet to help set the pace of the story._

**Diner Conversations**

The drive from Mr. Smoothy was relatively quiet. Since the run-in with Cash and J.T., no one said a word. The silence was starting to get to Gwen, so she decided to turn her focus from the front of the car, and give her cousin a warm smile.

"I'm proud of you, Ben. You could have gone alien on that creep." Growing up with Ben, Gwen knew that her cousin could be quick-tempered. Heck, she knew that depending on the circumstances, she would lose her cool as well. Seeing how Ben was able to control his temper, especially against a bully like Cash, Gwen could see how much Ben matured over the last five years.

"I would have decked him." The Tennyson cousins turned their heads and gave disapproving glares at their 'pseudo-reformed' friend, Kevin.

Gwen couldn't understand Kevin's automatic need to resort to violence to solve a dispute. But Ben knew better; after spending so many years alone and trapped in the Null Void, a person would build some anti-social, almost sadistic, tendencies. Granted, Kevin had some redeeming qualities; like when Grampa Max went missing, he volunteered to help Ben and Gwen find him and finish the case that he was working on. Also, with his obvious crush on Gwen, he was adamant with wanting to keep her away of the possible dangers from Michael Morningstar. Maybe Kevin did change. After all, he was ready to fight Cash for harassing Ben at Mr. Smoothy.

Ben and Gwen briefly shared a look, a look that communicated their feelings – a look that rivalled the unspoken bond that most twins share – but they seemed to have developed it as well. Kevin was an ex-con trying to re-enter society. It is their duty –their responsibility as his friend – to help him any way possible to feel comfortable around other people again.

"Okay, that look you guys share kinda creeps me out." Kevin said, breaking the unspoken exchange between the cousins. "How 'bout we stop for somethin' to gorge?"

"What do you have in mind?" Ben asked, intrigue over the concept of trying new types of food.

"There's a diner nearby that makes all types of interesting food. I've been there a few times; maybe you'll find somethin' you'd like."

"Okay." Gwen answered. "I'm game to try something new."

XXX XXX XXX

To say that Cash was pissed would be an understatement.

Walking down the street, Cash started to kick a can, trying to tune out the obnoxious sound that was J.T.'s voice.

"Man, he got you good, Cash. You should have seen your face when -- when he said --."

Cash has reached his limit. Throwing the most humiliating moment in his life back in his face was worst than a slap with a crow-bar. He turned around to face J.T., rage in his eyes. "Nobody does that to me, J.T. -- ever! Tennyson is gonna pay. I'll get him back -- then everybody will be laughing at _him_!"

XXX XXX XXX

The diner was actually a nice place with a calm ambiance. Ben and Gwen were beginning to wonder how they never realised this place before.

"To think, I was born and raised in Bellwood, and I never knew this place existed." Ben said, waiting for Gwen to take a seat by the window, before taking a seat beside her.

"It just opened a few weeks ago." Kevin answered. "Whenever we used to reach back in town late, and after dropping you guys home, I get too tired to cook something for myself, so this place usually hits the spot."

As they settled into the booth, a waitress took their order. A few minutes later, she returned with their food and drinks.

"Well, at least the food smells good." Gwen said.

"After that trip with Grampa Max five years ago, anything would taste better than the stuff he used to cook for us." Ben countered.

"What did he used to cook? Well, besides that cockroach salad that Gwen mentioned once." Kevin asked, making a face at the mention of the weird salad topping.

"Trust me, don't ask." Ben and Gwen answered both making gagging faces, remembering some of Max's old experiments from that fateful summer.

"Alright, then tell me about that grudge that chump has against you."

"Let's not go there, please." Ben begged.

"Oh, come on, Ben." Gwen urged. "It's kinda funny."

"To _you_, maybe." Ben countered. "But for me, I'd rather forget. It's too disturbing."

"Come on, Ben." Gwen continued to push. "The fact that Cash can't move on because you rejected him does sound comical."

Kevin almost chocked on his soda. "What?" He laughed.

"Yeah, he was acting like a typical bully until two years ago." Gwen explained. "When Ben and I were at a Halloween party, Cash came up to us, acting like he had swagger, trying some lame pick-up line on Ben. What was it again?"

"There were several, and I think some of them were ripped-off from Pepe Le Pew."

"Wait, wait, wait -- hold on." Kevin chuckled. "Rewind a minute. What were you two dressed as?"

"We went with a good angel/fallen angel theme." Gwen explained with a mischievous smile. "I was dressed in a white suit with a light blue blouse and white angel wings, while fallen angel here," she pointed to Ben, "was wearing, what I would call, the world's shortest red dress with a plunging back, with black stiletto sandals and black angel wings. Oh! And how could I forget about the fake tattoo at the base of his back!"

Kevin almost spat his soda out again and almost shouted at Ben, "You had a tramp stamp?!?" Kevin turned his attention to Gwen. "Please say you have pictures of that!"

"Okay, the lame pick-up lines that Cash used..."Ben tried to quickly change the subject. "There was: 'Yo baby, if I followed you home, would you keep me?', 'If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together', 'You remember J.T.? He wants to know if you think I'm hot'..."

"Aw man, those are lame." Kevin interjected.

"There's more." Gwen said.

"There's more?!"

"At the drink's table, Cash said 'What'd ya like, babe? Coffee? Tea? Me?', and there was 'I was wondering if you could spare a moment for me to hit on you?"

"Was there a marathon of how many pick-up lines can be used in one night?" Kevin asked.

"Actually, that was within a span of twenty minutes." Gwen answered. "Ben had to yell at him to back off and yelled some other stuff. In the end, Cash was so embarrassed, that he left the party without a word to anyone."

"My actual words were: 'You caused me nothing but suffering and distress since second grade, hung me on trees and flagpoles for a laugh, then harass me and my cousin whenever you see us together, and now you have the gall to hit on me and treat me like some object? Do you think I have such low self-esteem to lower my standards and end up in an obvious abusive relationship with you?!? I'd rather date a lecherous college jock than ever date you!' After yelling that at him, I had to walk away quickly 'cause I didn't want to stand around and wait for him to retaliate." Ben said, a grave expression on his face, remembering that horrible night two years ago.

XXX XXX XXX

Seeing the rage in Cash's eyes, J.T.'s eyes began to shift from side-to-side nervously, until a smirk graced his features. "Hey, it's Kevin's car."

Clearly unimpressed, Cash mumbled "Yeah? So?"

"So," J.T. continued, looking at Cash as if to say this plan should be obvious, "if it was me, I'd trash it. Leave Ben for later."

Cash and J.T. both glanced at the diner where Kevin's car was parked by. Inside, by a window booth, they saw Ben, Gwen and Kevin enjoying dinner together.

"You mess up Kevin's car, and everybody will know you're bad -- the baddest in town." J.T. continued. But Cash was not paying attention. His eyes were focused on the one person who rejected him. Two years later, that night at the Halloween party still haunted him. There he was, trying to make headway with his crush and Ben had the nerve to spurn his affections. He was still pissed about that night, but those shining eyes – those emerald eyes mixed with a neon-olive colour, framed by dark long lashes – still had him under a spell that he could not release himself from. Pulling his eyes from Ben, Cash faintly listened to J.T.'s mumbling. "They'll be talking about it for years."

Smiling sinisterly, Cash said, "Come on, we got a car to wreck." He quickly crossed the street, and with J.T.'s help, they began to push the Dodge Challenger down the dead-end road.

XXX XXX XXX

Seeing the solemn expression on Ben's face, Kevin felt a pang of guilt. Five years ago, this boy tried to become his friend until his greed got in the way, breaking the budding friendship. His misplaced anger at the time had gotten the better of him; causing him to lash out at the only person who wanted to be his friend, leading to a confrontation that turned him into a monster and tried to kill him. Regardless of past misdeeds, Ben forgave him and still tried to become his friend.

Tonight, Kevin learned that Ben was the target of bullying for basically all his life; dealing with a bully who thought he could intimidate the petite brunet into a relationship – a relationship that, as Ben had phrased it, would be potentially abusive. Suddenly, Kevin felt that, as a friend, it was his responsibility to cheer up Ben.

"Hey, Ben." Kevin called to him, stirring Ben away from his sombre expression. "That depressed look doesn't suit your personality." He grabbed the straws from his and Gwen's drinks. "Lemme show you somethin' ex-_straw_-dinary."

Kevin shoved the straws into his nose and starting to imitate a walrus, whistling sounds through the plastics. Gwen started laughing, covering her face with her hands. Ben, on the other hand, covered his slowly-blushing face, embarrassed by Kevin's immature sense of humour and his cousin's giggling. At that moment, he was beginning to wonder why he was hanging out with these two so often.

"Check, please." Ben pleaded with the waitress, embarrassment evident on his face.

"Umm, Kevin," Gwen wheezed from her laughter, looking out the window, "wasn't your car parked just outside?"

"What?!? My car!!!" Kevin screeched, running out of the diner to locate his car.

XXX XXX XXX

Cash and J.T. continued to push Kevin's car until they reached the edge of the road.

"Unh!" Cash grunted as he kicked the car down the hill. The next thing he knew, the car crashed into a tree stump, the trunk flying open and the alarm blaring.

"Dude, that's hard-core." J.T. muttered.

Cash started move down the hill. "Come on." He ordered to J.T. As he reached the car, he kicked it again, miraculously stopping the alarm from blaring.

"Look at all this weird stuff." J.T. knelt down to get a closer look at the unusual technology that fell out of the car's trunk. "You think we could sell it?"

Suddenly, they heard a loud voice, a very pissed Kevin shouting "HEY!" As they looked up, Kevin was at the top of the hill, Ben and Gwen following behind him. "What did you do to my car?!"

As Kevin began to pick up speed as he ran down the hill, Cash turned to J.T., "Grab something." He took off without looking back. J.T. saw a strange robotic arm, resembling a gauntlet, grabbed it and ran after Cash.

XXX XXX XXX

Kevin couldn't believe it. His prize possession, the first thing that he got himself since being paroled from the Null Void, ruined because of some rejected jealous jerk had to show off and try to prove that he was a big man and had to have revenge.

"Kevin." Gwen whispered, placing her hand sympathetically on Kevin's shoulder

"They won't get far." Quickly, Ben turned on the omnitrix, ready to fly after Cash and J.T. as Jet Ray.

"Don't, Ben." Gwen turned to her cousin, giving him a stern look.

"I can fly after them." Ben countered as the omnitrix deactivated.

"Then what -- give up your secret?" Gwen countered back. "Like you said they're not worth it." Ben gave his cousin a defeated look – did he ever hated it when she was right. "Besides, they can't hide forever."

"Fine." Mumbled Ben as he pulled out his cell phone. "I'll call a tow truck and have it pull the car out and bring it to the garage."

As Ben turned his back on Gwen and Kevin to call the garage, Gwen whispered to Kevin, "If it makes you feel any better, I can email a copy of the pictures of Ben in his Halloween costume."

Not turning away from the damages that marred his car, Kevin mumbled "I'm holding you to that promise, and I expect full-blown copies."

XXX XXX XXX

_**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**__ Well, what do you think? Was it good? Was it bad? Did it flow with the original storyline well? Reviews and constructive criticisms will be much appreciated._


End file.
